No Such Thing
by abrad45
Summary: An old friend of the team's is murdered for no apparent reason. While Gibbs tries to keep Ziva's temper and emotions in check, the team must work together to find the killer out of thousands who might have wanted the deceased dead.
1. Chapter 1

_A man's back is turned to the camera, facing his muscular arms in a tank top and a gym bag. He's sitting on a bench, putting in his headphones and turning on his MP3 player. He puts on a jacket and leaves the locker room. On the way out of the gym, he says one word as he passes the front-counter: "Bye." The shot focuses on his legs and lower torso as he steps outside and his body twists both ways, his gym bag swinging in his hand as he turns, first to his right, then his left. Visibly startled, he nearly jumps backwards and takes off in a sprint to his right. A man following him sprints towards him with a pistol pointed in front of him. A shot is fired and the sprinter starts to stumble. Another two shots brings the sprinter to the ground. The shooter ducks into an alley as the camera pans to the slain man's face: Damon Werth_.

**[NCIS Theme]**

**[Tony, McGee and Ziva sit at their desks]**  
Ziva: "No, Tony, I really haven't seen it."  
Tony: "Oh, man, Instant Classic: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page. That fight scene in the hallway? Wow... McSpecial-Effects probably McSploded all over the person in front of him when he saw that scene. Didn't you?"  
McGee: "Very funny, Tony. To film those scenes, they actually..."  
**[Gibbs walks in and interrupts, Coffee in hand]**  
Gibbs: "...actually, Grab you gear. We've got a dead Marine gunned down outside his fitness club...  
**[Gibbs pauses for a moment]**  
Gibbs: "Corporal Damon Werth"  
**[Tony and Ziva look at each other, their thoughts hanging heavily in the air between them]**  
McGee: "Uh, boss, Corporal Werth was dishonorably discharged years ago."  
Gibbs: "No such thing as..."  
McGee: "...as an Ex-Marine. Right, boss."  
**[Ziva blinks heavily twice, in disbelief, and slowly slides open her desk drawer, producing her gun and badge as she stands up. Tony looks across the room at Ziva and gives her a nod while slinging his pack over his back. McGee solemnly locks his computer and heads towards the elevator. DiNozzo fiddles with his phone for a moment.]**  
Gibbs: "You coming, DiNozzo?"  
DiNozzo: **[slams his phone closed, fumbling it into his pocket]** "On your six, boss!"

**[In the elevator, Ziva's mouth gapes open for a few moments before she speaks, visibly distraught]**  
Ziva: "Why... Why would?"  
Gibbs: "I don't know, that's what we're here for, Officer _David_."

**[At the Crime Scene, A Police Officer briefs Gibbs and team as he leads them under the Caution tape.]**  
Officer: "Agent Gibbs?"  
Gibbs: "Yes sir."  
Officer: "Officer James McNamara."  
Gibbs: "These are special agents McGee, DiNozzo and David."  
McNamara: "Right this way."  
Tony: "So what happened here?"  
McNamara: "Shots were heard, the worker at the Gym's front desk came out and saw him lying here and ran over."  
McGee: "Well, Where is she now?"  
McNamara: "She's over in my car. Pretty shaken up..." **[pointing over his shoulder to his SUV]**  
Gibbs: "Ziva, Witness Statement." **[Ziva walks to the SUV readying her pad of paper. McNamara's cell rings]**  
McNamara: "I've got to take this. Hold on."  
Tony: "Thanks officer."

**[McGee, DiNozzo and Gibbs stand over Werth's body on the sidewalk, behind him as the blood pool grew towards the street.]**  
Gibbs: "DiNozzo, Sketch. McGee, you're with me."  
DiNozzo: "On it, Boss."  
Gibbs: "Looks like three gunshot wounds from the blood on his back." **[McGee snaps about a dozen shots of Cpl. Werth, walking around his body. Three are shown rapid fire: his back, chest and face]**  
McGee: "If he was shot in the back, maybe he was trying to get away from his attacker? I'll check back here for slugs."  
**[Gibbs stares at the camera while walking away, turning it off and recapping the lens]**

**[Ziva stands in the open doorway of Officer McNamara's Car, questioning the Gym Employee who found Werth's body]**  
Ziva: "Special Agent Ziva David"  
Employee: "Wendy Skinner. Nice to meet you."  
Ziva: "So what happened?"  
Skinner: "I was at my desk and the guy..."  
Ziva **[rudely]**: "Damon. Damon Werth."  
Skinner: "...Okay... Damon... walked past and said bye like he usually does. Always polite, a gentleman through and through. He walked outside and within minutes I heard a few shots."  
Ziva: "How many?"  
Skinner: "Three."  
Ziva: "Are you sure?"  
Skinner: "They were so loud, sounded like they were shot so close to the door. I'm sure."  
Ziva: "Okay, and then what."  
Skinner: "Well the front desk has a security cam of the front door, but nothing was in the way, so I walked outside, cautiously, you know? I didn't want to be shot, too. No one was out there, but I turned and saw Damon's body."  
Ziva: "And what did you do?"  
Skinner: "Well I went near him, but I was so scared, I called 911 and they came"  
Ziva: "You work at a gym. Do you have any First Aid experience?"  
Skinner: "Well all employees need basic First Aid knowledge... I mean I know CPR"  
Ziva: "But you did not try to save him?"  
Skinner: "Well, I mean, I..."  
Ziva: **[angrily]** "He could have been saved with some pressure until the ambulance arrived. You could have tried to do something. Anything! You should have tried to save him!"  
Skinner: **[scared]** "Agent David, I'm sorry. I guess Damon was your friend, you seem shaken up, too. I was scared and nervous. I didn't want to be killed, too. I did what I could... I..."  
Ziva: "No, _I'm_ sorry. You did what most people would do. It's fine"  
Skinner: "But not what you would have done?"  
Ziva: "I wasn't given the chance. We will need all security footage from the front desk."  
Skinner: "I'll go get it now."  
Ziva: "Thanks."

**[Gibbs sighs heavily, kneeling over Werth's corpse. Voices behind him cause him to turn his head as the camera fades to...]**  
Palmer: "I'm sorry, Doctor, I swore I was going the right way."  
Ducky: "It was a one-way street, Mr. Palmer, and all the other cars were going the _opposite_ way. you're lucky we're not the ones being examined!"  
Palmer: "I'm sorry, Doctor. I've asked Director Vance for a GPS twice now."  
Ducky: "And?"  
Palmer: "He said that Special Agent Gibbs said no."  
Ducky: "Jethro! Is this true?"  
Gibbs: "Is what true, Duck?"  
Ducky: "That you've twice not declined our request for the acquisition of a Global Positioning System for our vehicle?"  
Gibbs: "Can we deal with this later?"  
Ducky: "Ah, yes, a friend. Let's see what lead to his unfortunate and untimely demise."

**[Ducky and Palmer lean down next to the body, with Gibbs.]**  
Ducky: "Liver Temp is about 98.2."  
Palmer: "That would mean he hasn't even been dead for 30 minutes, assuming his resting body temperature was the normal 98.6"  
Gibbs: "Corporal Werth just finished a workout, Duck."  
Ducky: "Well then there are a lot of variables. What kind of workout he did would determine what his temperature would have been... I'll know more when I get him back to the lab."  
**[Ziva walks up and interjects]**  
Ziva: "Gym Employee says Damon walked through the turnstile to leave the gym at about a quarter after 8 this morning and that she heard gunshots within minutes."  
Palmer: "It's 9:57. His temperature should be about 96.8."  
Ducky: "Like I said, Jethro, we'll know more when we get him back."  
**[Ziva begins to walk back to the truck]**

Gibbs: "Ziva?"  
**[Ducky in the background: "Lay out the plastic, Mr. Palmer. Let's wrap him up and take him home."]**  
Ziva: "What?"  
Gibbs: "Corporal Werth was a good Marine, and a good man. We'll find whomever did this."  
Ziva: "Thank you."

**[McGee comes running from down an Alley next to the gym]**  
Gibbs: "Nice of you to join us, McGee."  
McGee: "Sorry, boss. I found a trash can lid a few yards from the trash can it belonged to. Our shooter likely grabbed the lid, tossed his shells and ran. I found one on top, I guess the others fell through the trash."  
Gibbs: "Go grab the trash can, put it in the back of the truck, let's go."  
McGee: "Yes, boss."  
**[As the doors close, McNamara walks up to Gibbs' truck as it pulls away]**  
McNamara: "Goodbye, then?"

**[Back at NCIS HQ, the team sits at their desks. McGee places a few documents relating to Cpl. Werth on the flatscreen]**  
McGee: "Obviously, this is Ex-Corporal-"  
**[Gibbs stares down McGee]**  
McGee: "...Corporal... Damon Werth. Dishonorably discharged in 2007 and then was until recently employed by Colonel Merton Bell's First Defence Incorporated."  
DiNozzo: "Hey, Boss, We can't call Werth an Ex-Marine but we still call Bell 'Colonel'? Why is tha-"  
**[Gibbs headslaps DiNozzo]**  
Gibbs: "I call him dead."  
Ziva: "Go on, McGee..."  
McGee: "Born in Monroe, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. Potential enemies are countless..."  
Gibbs: "We looked into Marines who might have been at odds with Werth a few years ago, dig up that file DiNozzo."  
DiNozzo: "On it, boss."  
Gibbs: "McGee?"  
McGee: "Credit Cards, Bank Statements, GPS Coordinates."  
Gibbs: "Ziva: You're coming with me"  
Ziva: "Where are we going, Gibbs?"  
Gibbs: "Apartment. Then Detroit, Michigan to talk with his mother."  
Ziva: "I'll grab my things"  
McGee: "How are we going to get information about Werth's potential enemies he made while at FDI? You've been banned from their campus ever since you turned Bell over to the Federales. I doubt Bell's henchmen have higher opinions of you."  
**[Gibbs pulls out his cell phone, punching a few numbers into it]**  
Gibbs: "Let me handle that, McGee."  
**[Gibbs speaks into his cell]**  
Gibbs: "Allison? Yeah, I have a favor to ask of you..." **[smiles]**

**[Cut to greyscale of Gibbs smiling on the phone; commercial break.]**


	2. Chapter 2

**[On the way to Werth's apartment, Ziva tries to strike up a conversation with Gibbs]**  
Ziva: "Gibbs, I am going to do my best to handle this case professionally. I will not let you down."  
Gibbs: "DiNozzo said that to me once, too."  
Ziva: "And what happened?"  
Gibbs: "We pulled up to a _yoga class_..."  
Ziva: "I am sure that went well"  
**[Gibbs says nothing and Ziva sighs, staring out the window at yet another failed attempt at conversation]**

**[Ducky and Palmer discuss Gibbs' refusal to get them a GPS. DiNozzo fills in for Gibbs during Autopsy]**  
Ducky: "Mr. Palmer, nice of you to join me."  
Palmer: "Sorry, Doctor. I took the _scenic_ route home from lunch."  
Ducky: "So concerning this 'Global Positioning System,' He really flat out told you 'no'?"  
Palmer: "Not, no, per se, Doctor, but h..."  
Ducky: "Well was it a yes or a no, Mr. Palmer? It's quite simple?"  
Palmer: "Director Vance said that Gibbs would need to approve the requisition request."  
Ducky: "My requests have never had to be approved before by anyone but the Director himself. Well then what did Jethro say?"  
Palmer: "Oh, uh, I... I didn't ask."  
Ducky: "Well why not, my boy?"  
Palmer: **[ashamed]** "I don't think he likes me very much."  
Ducky: **[hesitating]** "Nonsense! Jethro just... takes some time to get accustomed... to... people"  
**[DiNozzo walks in]**  
Palmer: "Doctor Mallard, I've worked here for _years_"  
DiNozzo: "I've worked for years, too, Palmer, and he still stares me down daily. At least he doesn't smack you."  
Palmer: "Good point."  
DiNozzo: "Gibbs asked me to fill in for him, so 'What's up, Duck?'" **[DiNozzo impersonates Bugs Bunny as best he can]**  
Ducky: "That reminds me... Sometimes I even forget that 'Ducky' is a nickname! I despised my name's likeness to that damned Disney Cartoon Character, but never shook the nickname, obviously." **[poorly impersonating Donald Duck]** "Aw Phooey!"  
**[Palmer Claps]**  
Ducky: "Oh, well thank you, Mr. Palmer. You know, this one time, a young lass was in a class with me... Daisy Carmichael. Yes, she heard 'Donald Mallard' called in class and came up to me afterwards: 'Donald Duck,' she said, and she was quite charming; she said 'Daisy. Duck, if you prefer'..."  
**[DiNozzo stares at his watch.]**  
Ducky: "Oh, yes, well his cause of death was massive cardiac arrest due to what looks like the second bullet. The first pierced his lung and, aside from causing pain, would have made running away difficult"  
Palmer: **[snickering]** "All that working out didn't do him much good, did it?"  
**[Ducky and DiNozzo stare at Palmer in disgust.]**  
Palmer: "I'm _so_ sorry, Doctor. Inappropriate. I..."  
Ducky: **[sighing, Ducky cuts off Palmer]** "Anyway... The second bullet pierced his carotid artery, while the third grazed his left ventricle. Death would have been nearly instant after the second shot. I've sent the slugs to Abby."  
DiNozzo: "The gym security footage showed that the shooter was at least twenty-five yards away because he wasn't in the video. Two shots to the heart of a moving target from that range? This is a professional hit."  
Ducky: "Oh, most certainly."  
DiNozzo: **[sarcastically]** "Lovely. Thanks, Ducky. Anything else?"  
Ducky: "Time of Death. I can't get anything more specific than between 8:10 and 8:40."  
DiNozzo: "Well the cameras didn't record Audio. I'll check if any others in the area did. Thanks, Ducky."  
**[DiNozzo walks out and heads towards the elevator. Palmer washes his hands at the sink]**  
Ducky: **[to the cadaver]** "It's a shame, Corporal. Always difficult to have an old acquaintance on the table. What _happened_ to you, boy..."

**[Ziva and Gibbs knock on Werth's apartment door, badges ready to identify themselves. Gibbs nods and Ziva picks the lock. Once inside, they slide through his place: "Clear!" - "Clear!" - and a final "Clear!" Ziva continues through the apartment, saying that she'll check the kitchen, an area she had not yet seen during their sweep. As she walked towards it, Gibbs approached Ziva.]**  
Gibbs: "Special Agent David, have you been here before?"  
**[Ziva falls silent, neglecting to answer, blink or remove her eyes from Gibbs face. Gibbs gives in first]**  
Gibbs: "Start searching."  
**[Ziva turns and they begin rifling through anything they can find. Gibbs picks up a pile of mail]**  
Gibbs: "Why would anyone have pieces of mail from two fitness clubs?"  
**[Gibbs opens each letter]**  
Ziva: "Maybe buying the least expensive plan at two was easier than the most expensive at one?"  
Gibbs: "The 'Gold's Gym' he was leaving mailed him a bill. 'Planet Fitness' sent him a paycheck. If you work at a fitness center, why not exercise there?"  
Ziva: "Good question."  
Gibbs: "We'll see if McGee's figured anything out with his finances."  
Ziva: "And we'll need more information from Gold's Gym to find out why he was going, and who he spoke to."  
Gibbs: "Let's drop this mail and his laptop off. We've got a plane to catch"  
Ziva: "It wouldn't happen to be a..."  
Gibbs: "C-130. Your favorite."  
**[Ziva rolls her eyes as they pack up and head out into the car and head back to NCIS HQ. On the way out the door, Ziva notices a paperback-sized crushed-velvet case on his coffee-table. She opens it.]**  
Ziva: "I didn't think they awarded him the Silver Star"  
Gibbs: "He didn't show it to you the last time he invited you over?"  
Ziva: "Gibbs..."  
Gibbs: "Rule 10."  
Ziva: "Never get personally involved in a case"  
Gibbs: "This is your second strike. One more and you're benched."  
**[Gibbs gets in Ziva's face, and she straightens up to assert her strength]**  
Gibbs: "Are we clear, Agent _David_?"  
Ziva: "Yes. Very."

**[Abby blasts Rammstein while running the slugs found inside Corporal Werth against some databases. McGee walks in with an Evidence Box]**  
McGee: "Abby? ... Abby? ABBY?"  
Abby: **[smiling]** "Speak up McGee?"  
McGee: "Aren't you worried about your hearing?"  
Abby: **[while signing]** "I can already sign, what's the big deal if I lose my hearing?"  
McGee: "You'd never hear your music again. Or Gibbs' voice. _Or mine_."  
Abby: "As long as I don't lose my taste-buds, Caf-Pows will keep me going and going and going and going and going and going and..."  
McGee: "go through all of this stuff Gibbs and Ziva found at Werth's apartment; _please_?"  
Abby: "I'm only one man, McGee. Well, woman, but, you know, I'm only one of them."  
McGee: "I've been running credit cards and bank statements all day, can you please just take care of this ASAP?"  
Abby: "I always work as fast as I can. Did you try to crack his laptop?"  
McGee: "They train Marines well."  
Abby: **[quoting McGee]** "'Ex-Marines'"  
Abby: **[quoting Gibbs]** "'No such thing as an Ex-Marine!'"  
Abby: **[quoting McGee]** "'Sorry boss! I'm so sorry! I'll do anything you say!'"  
McGee: "Knock it off, will ya? And do you want my help or not?"  
Abby: **[hugging McGee]** "Oh come on now... I'm just teasing McGee."  
**[McGee begins to walk out of the room]**  
Abby: "McGee! You're not helping?"  
**[McGee turns in the doorway]**  
McGee: "His password was semperfi, all lowercase."  
Abby: "How many gue-"  
McGee: "_One guess_. new record."  
**[McGee walks out and presses the up button on the elevator. Abby shrugs, smiles and slurps her Caf-Pow.]**

**[The C-130 from Pax River to Detroit lands after a rough 4 hours during which Ziva held on for dear life and Gibbs slept like a baby. Once on the ground, Gibbs and Ziva use a cab service get to Werth's childhood home in which his parents still live. During the carride, Ziva checks her phone for the first time all day. She has a text which reads "I'm sorry for your loss. I know he meant a lot to you. From: Tony. Sent: Oct. 6, 9:14am." Gibbs knocks on the door...]**  
Gibbs: "Federal Agents. We'd like to talk to you about your Son"  
Mrs. Werth: "Hello. Come in, please."  
Gibbs: "I'm Special Agent Gibbs, this is Special Agent Ziva David. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Damon"  
Mrs. Werth: "Rebecca. Of course. It still hasn't sunken in yet... He was such a good kid."  
**[Ziva nods as they walk inside]**  
Ziva: "I am very sorry for your loss."  
Gibbs: "Do you know of anyone who might want to hurt your son, Mrs. Werth? Marines? Coworkers? Acquaintances?"  
Rebecca: "No, no, not at all. Though he didn't tell me much of what was going on in his personal life"  
Gibbs: "Is it just you living here?"  
Rebecca: "My husband Edward is out with his SAS buddies tonight. Agent Gibbs? You served, didn't you? A marine?"  
Gibbs: "Yes."  
Rebecca: "I can always spot a Marine."  
Gibbs: **[smiling]** "Do you mind if we look around his room?"  
Rebecca: "No, no, be my guest. Upstairs. Last room on the left"  
**[Ziva is tearing up, fighting to keep her strong composure]**  
Ziva: "Thank you. We'll be right back down"  
**[They check Werth's room. A picture hangs near the door of he and his father in SAS gear. Some clothes are stored in dressers. Nothing seems out of place. They walk back downstairs]**  
Gibbs: "When was your son home last?"  
Rebecca: "A few weeks ago... Why?"  
Ziva: "Was he acting unusual? Behaving strangely? Did he pick anything up or drop anything off?"  
Rebecca: "No, no. Not that I know of. Why?"  
Ziva: "We are just trying to be thorough and be sure we know all we can."  
Gibbs: "We'll be in touch, Mrs. Werth. And we'll find who did this to your son. Semper Fi."  
Rebecca: "Semper Fi."

**[Rebecca Werth clings to her doorframe as Ziva and Gibbs head back to the cab to head home; Commercial Break]**


	3. Chapter 3

**[Back at the Bullpen, the team goes over everything they know]**  
Gibbs: "Someone, give me something. Anything. McGee?"  
McGee: "Nothing unusual in his finances, boss. No large deposits or withdrawals. Still looking."  
Gibbs: "DiNozzo?"  
Tony: "Pulled up his old file. I'm heading back to Bethesda this afternoon to see if anyone remembers anything that might help us out."  
Ziva: "At Damon's apartment, we noticed that he has a Gym membership to one gym and a paycheck from another. I'm going to head back to Gold's Gym soon."  
Gibbs: "Take DiNozzo with you."  
Tony: "Boss?"  
Gibbs: "Problem with that, DiNozzo?"  
Tony: "Wull... I thought I was heading to Bethesda."  
Gibbs: "McGee will go."  
Tony: "Really? McDislocated Shoulder?" **[Turns to McGee]** "You got roughed up pretty bad last time."  
McGee: **[smug]** "Oh, really, Di-Broken-Nose-Oh?"  
Tony: **[dejected and quietly]** "Touché, Probie"  
**[Ziva cracks a smile]**  
Gibbs: "Ziva, DiNozzo, Gold's Gym."  
Ziva: "Right now?"  
Gibbs: "What part of what I just said made it sound like a suggestion, Special Agent _David_?"  
Ziva & Tony: **[in unison]** "Going!"  
**[Ziva and Tony hustle out of the office. McGee packs his bag and heads for the elevator which just closed]**  
Gibbs: "McGee?"  
McGee: "Yes, Boss?"  
Gibbs: "You can just call Bethesda. I want you working on Werth's Laptop with Abby"  
**[McGee smiles and walks back to his desk]**  
McGee: "Thanks, Boss."  
**[Gibbs notices a large manilla envelope on his desk. Near the seal, in perfect script: "You owe me - MAH"]**

**[Ziva and Tony talk in the car on the way there]**  
Tony: "Why did Gibbs send us both just to question someone?"  
Ziva: "To be thorough. To ensure no one misses anything."  
Tony: **[incredulously]** "Seriously, Ziva?"  
Ziva: "Seriously, Tony."  
Tony: "Had nothing to do with you blaming the employee for Werth's death?"  
Ziva: "Tony..."  
Tony: "Look, we both know why I'm here."  
Ziva: "Why not McGee?"  
Tony: "McWorrisome wouldn't help you anyway."  
Ziva: **[defensively]** "What do you mean, 'Help me'?"  
**[Tony puts the car in park outside of Gold's Gym. They exit the car and approach the entrance, looking around for anything they may have missed, security cameras, etc.]**  
Tony: "Let's just get find out what we need to find out and head home."  
Ziva: "Agreed."  
**[Ziva and Tony walk in and ask to speak with Wendy. They take a seat at a desk behind the front counter and wait a moment in silence.]**  
Wendy: "Agent... David... was it? Nice to see you again"  
Tony: **[turning on the charm]** "Special Agent Ziva David, and I am _very_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."  
**[Wendy Smiles]**  
Ziva: "We came to ask a few follow up questions."  
Wendy: "Of course, anything I can do to help."  
Tony: "Could you give your best estimate to the time you heard the shots fired?"  
**[Ziva writes a few things in her notebook.]**  
Wendy: "Let me pull up the logs... He swiped out at 8:14am. The shots weren't more than a minute later."  
Ziva: "Did anyone else hear the shots fired?"  
Wendy: "It's a slow time of morning. We're open 24 hours, but businessmen leave before then, and anyone with a later shift sleeps in. There were only a few people here, and everyone here was either on the other side of the gym, in the pool or listening to their iPods. Employees aren't allowed to wear headphones, so I guess only I heard the shots."  
Ziva: "Do the security cameras inside record Audio?"  
Wendy: "No, I'm sorry. Why do you ask?"  
Tony: "Corporal Werth worked at another gym. We are just trying to figure out why he would work out here."  
Wendy: "That _is_ strange. I guess he came here to work out with his friend."  
Ziva: "His friend?"  
Wendy: "Yeah, he always worked out with this other really buff guy. _Christopher_? I'll pull up his information, hold on."  
Ziva: "Well did Damon leave alone yesterday? Where was Christopher?"  
Wendy: "No idea. He always comes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, same mornings Werth came."  
Tony: "Did you ever hear what they talked about?"  
Wendy: "Always a competition with those two... Who could do more reps, more weight, a faster lap around the track. They were some of the fittest members we've got."  
Tony: "But never anything else?"  
Wendy: "Nothing memorable. Seemed like they went way back. Here is his file: _Christopher Rice_."  
Ziva: "Could we have a copy of that? And the daily member logs for the past two months?"  
Tony: "_Three_ months."  
Wendy: "It'll take me a while to put that together. I'll fax it to you?"  
Tony: "Sure, Wendy. Hey, how much does a membership here cost?"  
**[Ziva rolls her eyes at Tony's casual conversation starter]**  
Wendy: "$34.99 a month. Want a pamphlet?"  
Tony: "I'll just stop by sometime I'm not working. Here's my card, it's got our fax on here. And my _personal_ extension."  
**[Tony winked; Wendy smiled; Ziva sighed]**  
Ziva: "Come on, Tony."  
Tony: "Thanks for your time, Wendy."  
Wendy: "Anytime. Come back whenever you'd like, _very_ Special Agent DiNozzo."  
**[Ziva and Tony walk out, Tony smiling]**  
Tony: "I could get used to tha-"  
**[Ziva backhands him in the stomach]**

**[Ziva walks quickly to the car]**  
Tony: "You never told me the shoddy EMT would have made for a _great_ date."  
**[Ziva's pace got quicker]**  
Tony: "Ziva... I was..."  
**[Tony put his hand on her shoulder as she stopped to open the car door. She immediately grabbed his wrist, spun it over her head, and kicked the back of Tony's knees. He knelt on the sidewalk between her and the gym, his arm against his hunched back nearly as high up as his shoulder blades, both of them facing the gym. Ziva released her adrenaline with heavy breaths as Tony groaned]**  
Tony: "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! LET GO! Agh!"  
**[Ziva lets go of Tony's arm, and he falls to all fours. With a grunt, he takes his feet and stares at Ziva]**  
Ziva: "Reflexes. You should know not to do that to me. I am sorry, Tony."  
**[Tony rubs his wrist and stretches out his shoulder]**  
Tony: "I know this case is important for you. We're doing all we can, Ziva. I'd give you a hug if my arm still worked."  
**[Ziva sighs]**  
Ziva: "Thank you, Tony. I am sorry."  
Tony: "You should be."  
**[Ziva sighs as Tony hands her the keys]**  
Ziva: "You hate it when I drive"  
Tony: "You're not crippled."  
**[Tony slides around Ziva and gets in the passenger side door. Ziva walks around, gets in and starts the car]**  
Ziva: "Good thing you hadn't surprised me with a hug."  
Tony: **[still rubbing his shoulder]** "Why's that?"  
Ziva: "Ever been kicked in the balls?"  
Tony: "Once. Let't not go there."  
**[Ziva laughs and they drive away]**

**[Ziva and Tony arrive back at the Bullpen. There's a huge fax sitting in the machine and McGee is working at his desk. Gibbs is nowhere to be found]  
**Tony: "Looks like Wonderful Wendy sent us a nice little present. McGee, you're back already?"  
McGee: "I just called Bethesda. Took care of some legwork. Saved on gas. Had time to go out to lunch. It was great.  
**[Tony and Ziva look at each other in disgust of McGee's easy afternoon]**  
Ziva: "I'll look through the fax."  
Tony: "Good. I wanted to check on something. The name Christopher Rice sounds really familiar."  
**[DiNozzo flips a few pages in the file he pulled from Werth's prior case with NCIS]**  
Tony: "Rice served with Werth in Afghanistan. He wasn't tortured with Werth and his men, but still served with him. I guess they go way back."  
Ziva: "Is Rice still active duty?"  
McGee: "Hold on a sec... Nope, Dishonorably discharged last year. Lives a few miles away from Gold's Gym."  
Ziva: "He literally came every single Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the past three months. Neither of them ever missed."  
Tony: "Let's go pay Mr. Rice a visit."  
Ziva: "I'm driving"  
Tony: "I think my arm can handle it now."  
Ziva: **[smiling]** "Oh, I think you should _rest_, Tony." **[she taps him on the chest near his injured shoulder and he pulls back a bit]** "You didn't like me behind the keel?"  
Tony: "I'd compliment you on a decent Nautical joke... if you were joking... With you behind the _wheel_... my arm could end up much worse"  
Ziva: "Fine, here."  
**[Ziva and Tony get in the elevator as Ziva produces and hands over the keys]**

**[Ziva and Tony get out of the car in front of Rice's house. They approach the door, producing their badges. Tony Knocks.]**  
Tony: "Christopher Rice? Federal Agents. We'd like to ask you a few questions."  
Rice: "Can I help you?"  
Ziva: "Special Agent Ziva David. This is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo"  
**[Rice sneezes. Tony and Ziva back up]**  
Rice: "Sorry, I have the flu. Been in bed since Tuesday."  
Tony: "Do you know this man?"  
**[Ziva produces a photo of Damon Werth]**  
Rice: "Damon... Great guy, buddies for years. _Semper Fi_. Why, is he alright?"  
Ziva: "He was murdered. Yesterday morning."  
Rice: "Oh my God... I hadn't heard."  
Ziva: "You two work out together..."  
Rice: "All the time. Three mornings a week. Best Marine I ever had the honor of serving with."  
Tony: "And you weren't around yesterday because you were sick, right?"  
**[Tony and Ziva stare at him intently.]**  
Rice: "Yeah. Wait a minute. You guys think I killed him?"  
Ziva & Tony: **[in unison]** "Yes" - "No"  
Rice: "No no no, I would... I could never..."  
Tony: "We just wanted to clear you as a suspect and see if you knew anything that could help lead you to the person who did this."  
Ziva: "_We _do want to clear you. But _I_ want your alibi."  
Tony: "_Ziva._"  
Rice: "No, no, really, it's okay. I was buying some medicine yesterday morning. I woke up for the gym but there was no way I could have worked out. I ran out of Nyquil. Let me see if I still have the receipt."  
**[Rice walks into his house, the door resting ajar]**  
Tony: "Ziva what are you doing"  
Ziva: "What, Tony?"  
Tony: "You are _Special Agent_ Ziva David, not _Mossad Liason Officer_ Ziva David."  
Ziva: **[dejected]** "So?"  
Tony: "Americans are innocent until proven guilty. Cut the guy some slack!"  
**[The door opens back up, rice has a CVS bag in it - he hands Dinozzo the receipt]**  
Tony: "8:12am. Thanks, Rice."  
Ziva: "May I ask why you were dishonorably discharged?"  
Rice: "I didn't quite see eye to eye with my unit leader. He had it in for me from the start."  
Ziva: "How've you been spending your time si-"  
Tony: "...We've asked you enough, Mr. Rice. Get some rest, feel better. We'll call you if we need anything."  
**[Ziva nonchalantly and impatiently provides him with her card before turning around and walking towards the car]**  
Tony: "I'm sorry. Feel better."  
Rice: "Good luck with your investigation, Agent DiNozzo"  
Tony: "Thanks."

**[Back at the Bullpen, Gibbs and McGee are each sitting at their desks. Ziva and Tony walk in]**  
Tony: "Followed a lead; didn't pan out."  
Gibbs: "Ziva?"  
Ziva: "Wendy gave us some more information. Werth went there since his old friend already belonged to the Gym, Christopher Rice."  
Gibbs: "Name sounds familiar..."  
Tony: "He was a Sergeant in the Marines; served in Werth's unit in Afghanistan."  
Ziva: "He goes to the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Werth"  
Gibbs: "Well then he has ability; motive?"  
Tony: "Not so fast, boss. Paid him a visit just now: he's been sick with the flu. Still had his receipt from the Nyquil he bought yesterday morning. Looks pretty clean to me."  
McGee: "No one from Bethesda remembered anything of importance - He hasn't been back since he escaped; no one remembers him having any enemies before that either"  
Tony: "Just you and I, McGee?"  
McGee: "Well, yeah, but we don't count."  
Ziva: "So basically, we've got nothing."  
**[Gibbs desk phone rings]**  
Gibbs: "Yeah. I'll be right there."  
**[Gibbs stands up and heads for the elevator]**  
Gibbs: "Maybe not. Abby called. All of you, stay here."  
McGee: "Why?"  
**[The elevator opens and Gibbs smiles.]**  
Gibbs: "Lose your razor again, Tobias?"

**[Tobias rolls his eyes as the screen fades to greyscale; Commercial Break]**


	4. Chapter 4

Fornell: "Nice to see you, too, Gibbs."  
**[Gibbs heads to the basement in the elevator. Fornell approaches the bullpen]**  
Fornell: "DiNotzo. McGee. _Special Agent_ David."  
Ziva: "Fornell, Are you still not used to me being an NCIS Agent?"  
Tony: "And why are you gracing us with your presence?"  
Fornell: "Werth's previous employer, First Defense incorporated has a pretty big leak. Since they're Washington's largest contractor, I've been looking into the cause. And so our work crosses paths _again_."  
Ziva: "What? Why?"  
Fornell: "We think Werth or one of his buddies had something to do with it."

**[Gibbs walks into Abby's Lab holding a personnel file. Abby's head is resting on Major Mass Spec., her arm draped across its front. Her hand is moving up and down, as if she were petting it]**  
Gibbs: "Do you two need to be left alone, Abbs?"  
Abby: "Gibbs! No, it's fine. We were just cuddling. You didn't interrupt anything."  
**[Gibbs eyes widen]**  
Abby: **[coyly]** "_Yet_..."  
**[Gibbs hands Abby her daily Caf-Pow]**  
Gibbs: "Whaddaya Got, Abbs?"  
Abby: "All three bullets were from the same pistol."  
Gibbs: "Well I figured as much"  
Abby: "Gibbs! Rule Number Eight! You should know better, and I should be appointed _Queen_ of Rule Eight. You guys assume all the time what science can _prove_. Isn't that right MMS?"  
**[Abby cups her hand towards the back of her lab]**  
Abby: "Major Mass Spec said _right_."  
Gibbs: "Same gun. Thanks Abbs."  
**[Gibbs nears the door]**  
Abby: "Gibbs! Just as you don't take your case for granted, I don't take my Caf-Pows for granted."  
Gibbs: "I know, Abbs."  
Abby: "Well, no. I mean, I wouldn't call you down here, knowing you were going to bring me a Caf-Pow just to tell you the bullets were from the same gun."  
Gibbs: "Oh. And how did you know I was bringing you a Caf-Pow?"  
Abby: "I know your shoes."  
Gibbs: **[incredulously]** "My _shoes_?"  
Abby: "You walk right past the window, Gibbs. Those sexy calves and your shoes, just yours. It's a good warning sign. Makes me salivate."  
**[Gibbs eyes widen again]**  
Abby: "I mean, the thought of a Caf-Pow! Not your legs. Not that you don't have nice legs. I'm sure you have really nice legs, Gibbs. Really. You must..."  
Gibbs: "..."  
Abby: "... The bullets were 9mm, Hollow Cavity"  
Gibbs: "Maximum damage."  
Abby: "And fired from a Browning. Standard issue for a _lot_ of militaries."  
Gibbs: "But no branch of ours."  
Abby: "Right. Gibbs?"  
Gibbs: "You'll know as soon as I do, Abbs."  
Abby: **[slyly]** "If I'm lucky, even sooner."  
Gibbs: "You and McGee find anything on Werth's laptop?"  
Abby: "Lots of Rap, A few downloaded movies and a few hundred gigs of porn."  
Gibbs: "I thought dirty video shoots were called scenes..."  
Abby: "Gibbs... A gigabyte, or gig, is a unit of computational space equal to one-billion bites. Well, not technically. It's actually one-billion..."  
Gibbs: "Abbs?"  
Abby: "...seventy-three million, seven-hundred forty-one thousand..."  
Gibbs: "Abbs!"  
Abby: "...eight-hundred twenty four... What, in english?"  
Gibbs: "No, even 'in English' I think that's too much for me. Anything _relevant_ on Werth's laptop?"  
Abby: "Oh! Some emails with Christopher Rice, but nothing too telling. They only really compared workout schedules and jokingly insulted each other's physical abilities."  
Gibbs: "Good Marine. Focused."  
Abby: "That's all for now. I'll keep checking his laptop."  
Gibbs: "Thanks, Abbs."  
**[Once Gibbs leaves the room, Abby sets up Werth's laptop in front of her Mass Spectrometer, looking through a list of videos. Abby smiles and slurps her Caf-Pow]**  
Abby: "More? Major, I thought you'd never ask. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes? Redheads! _Kinky._" **[smiling]**

**[Autopsy doors slide open and Gibbs walks through]**  
Ducky: "Jethro! You hardly ever miss a good autopsy."  
Gibbs: "Had somewhere to be, Duck."  
Ducky: "Are you sure? Did this boy's death hit a little _too _close to home?"  
Gibbs: "I have been trying to watch Ziva."  
Ducky: "I'll try and speak with her if I get the chance."  
Gibbs: "Thanks, Duck. Did I miss anything?"  
Ducky: "Just that our Corporal took one slug to the lung and two to the heart. Death would have been nearly instant. He wasn't in pain for more than a few moments."  
Gibbs: **[sarcastically]** "_Great_."  
Ducky: "Oh I'm sorry, Jethro! I'm trying to help. Everyone is so worked up about this fiasco."  
Gibbs: "Can you look into this personnel file, please? The usual. He served with Werth. Now his workout buddy."  
Ducky: "Full psychological investigation. I'll have it for you tomorrow morning."  
Gibbs: "Thanks, Duck."

**[Gibbs walks out as the elevator doors open. Tony is standing there]**  
Tony: "Great. Get in."  
Gibbs: "Come to pick me up, DiNozzo?"  
**[The doors close and DiNozzo flips the emergency switch on - the elevator stops]**  
Tony: "Ziva."  
Gibbs: "Oh, _I know_."  
Tony: "You know that she's basically threatening everyone involved with the investigation? She's as close as I've ever seen to making us look incompetent. You have to do something."  
**[Gibbs flips the emergency switch off]**  
Gibbs: "I'm about to."  
**[Tony sighs with the knowledge that what he did was right, but tough to do]**

**[Gibbs walks past the Bullpen and signals Ziva to come with him. They walk behind the staircase in the "secluded" corner in back]**  
Ziva: "Gibbs, I know..."  
Gibbs: "No, Agent David, I don't think you do."  
Ziva: "Gibbs, please..."  
Gibbs: "_Ten_."  
Ziva: "I know..."  
Gibbs: "_Twelve_."  
Ziva: "Gibbs, he and I never..."  
Gibbs: "_Eight_."  
Ziva: "What did I take for granted?"  
Gibbs: "Your position on _my_ team during _this_ investigation. When you're on the clock, you don't leave your desk until this case is closed or your badge will be in my desk drawer instead of yours. Do you hear me?"  
Ziva: "It won't happen again."  
Gibbs: "At least you didn't break rule six"

**[From the upper balcony, Director Vance heard everything]**  
Vance: "Am I interrupting something?"  
**[Gibbs and Ziva stand silently, straining their necks to look straight up]**  
Vance: "Agent David, head home for the night. Gibbs, I'd like to speak with you in my office. Now."  
**[Gibbs walks up the stairs, his steps heavy with disdain. Vance holds his office door open and closes it once Gibbs walks in]**  
Vance: "Is Agent David _really_ not fit to work this case?"  
Gibbs: "Agent David is allowing her personal relationship with Corporal Werth get in the way of her investigative duties, _Director_."  
Vance: "And it's interfering with the integrity of your case?"  
**[Gibbs stares]**  
Vance: "You want to tell me why you two took a C-130 to Detroit to speak with his parents?"  
Gibbs: "Didn't speak with his parents."  
Vance: "Well then why did you go?"  
Gibbs: **[with a barely detectable sarcasm]** "Only spoke with his mother."  
Vance: "My kids give me enough grief, I don't need even more shit from you, Gibbs."  
**[Gibbs scoffs]**  
Gibbs: **[with contempt]** "That so, _Leon_?"  
**[Vance tugs his suit jacket taut at the bottom, standing up behind his desk]**  
Vance: "I read his file. You think I just sit up here and BS with Capitol Hill all day, but it's my job to keep you honest. You went up to Michigan because this kid was a Marine. And you feel he got gypped. You felt you owed him."  
Gibbs: "I went up to Michigan to ensure every angle of this case was accounted for, _Director_."  
Vance: "You're taking this hard, too, _you hypocritical bastard_!"  
Gibbs: "He's a good kid, Leon!"  
Vance: "Was... a good kid. And Agent David demands respect; the same respect from you that you demand from her. She's back on the case. That's an _order._ You'll tell her first thing in the morning and if you pull a stunt like that again, you'll be the one benched. Have I made myself clear?"  
**[Gibbs refuses to answer, and goes to leave. He opens the door, but hasn't yet walked out]**  
Vance: "Gibbs: Any motives? Leads? Anything?"  
Gibbs: **[while walking away, the door closing]** "Working on it."

**[Gibbs opens his front door. he has a flashback of his living room and foyer floors coated in broken glass from when FDI invaded his home. He walks over to the fridge and has a flashback to Corporal Werth pointing his gun. Gibbs readies his pistol, about to draw it at the empty kitchen]**  
Voice: "Mr. Gibbs?"  
**[Gibbs pivots on his left leg and faces his front door, pointing his pistol at M. Allison Hart's face. She raises her arms in innocence]**  
Allison: "Ah! Mr. Gibbs! It's Allison!"  
**[Gibbs pants and lowers his weapon, turning away from her silently to lock it up]**  
Allison: "Is that how you greet every guest in your home?"  
Gibbs: "My guest? Shouldn't a lawyer know that breaking and entering is a crime?"  
Allison: "It's not breaking and entering if you have a key. You _misplaced_ the spare key for the new lock, right?"  
Gibbs: "Isn't theft a crime, too?"  
**[Allison smiles]**  
Gibbs: "Wanna take a ride?"  
Allison: "To?"  
Gibbs: "Hardware store. Need a new lock."  
**[Allison scoffs and hands him the key she swiped the last time she was over]**  
Gibbs: "How many copies did you make?"  
Allison: "Oh, don't flatter yourself, Mr. Gibbs."  
Gibbs: "Do you have a place to live? You seem to come here a lot."  
Allison: "Did you get the documents I sent over?"  
Gibbs: "Yeah. Thanks."  
Allison: "How can I bail your ass out this time?"  
Gibbs: "My ass is doing just _fine_, Ms. Hart. I just needed that information from you."  
Allison: "You sure that's all?"  
**[Gibbs opens his front door and shows Ms. Hart the way out, holding the key up]**  
Gibbs: "And this."  
Allison: "You owe me."  
Gibbs: "Next time you figure out a way into my house, you can come collecting. Goodnight, Ms. Hart."  
Allison: "Night, Mr. Gibbs."  
Gibbs: "See you soon, I'm sure."  
Allison: "I still have my guest pass."  
**[Allison walked to her car, parked across the street and a few houses over. Gibbs locked the door, exhaled loudly, rubbed his eyes and headed downstairs]**

**[The next morning, Gibbs walks in at six-forty five. Ziva is asleep at her desk]**  
Gibbs: "Morning, Agent David."  
**[Ziva awakes and draws her weapon at Gibbs, who waits until she lowers it to approach his desk. Ziva yawns]**  
Gibbs: "Karma."  
Ziva: "I know you told me I was off the case. I thought maybe if I put in some extra work in the office I could prove that I was dedicated enough to make things right."  
Gibbs: "Done breaking rules?"  
Ziva: "Forty-Five."  
Gibbs: "Clean up the mess you make."  
Ziva: "I was hoping forty-five makes up for the others."  
Gibbs: "You're back on the case, Ziva."  
Ziva: "I know I need to work a lot to gain back your tru-"  
Gibbs: "Ziva. _You're on the case_."  
Ziva: **[surprised]** " Thank you. Won't happen again, Gibbs."  
Gibbs: "Oh, don't thank me. Thank the director. Get some more sleep. I'm sure you'll need it."

**[Gibbs worked at his desk while Ziva slept. McGee and Tony walked in around ten after nine]**  
McGee: "Morning, Boss. Brought your coffee."  
Tony: "What about me? And sleepy head over there?"  
Ziva: **[with her head still on the desk]** "I am awake, Tony."  
**[Tony flinches instinctively]**  
McGee: **[joking]** "Oh, you didn't ask!"  
Tony: "Give me that, probie."  
**[Tony takes two cups of coffee, setting one on Ziva's desk before sitting down at his own again]**  
Gibbs: "Don't get too comfortable, DiNozzo."  
Tony: "Why not, Boss?"  
Gibbs: "Since you're so concerned about everyone having Coffee, why don't you go pick up a few more."  
Tony: "But Boss, McGee brought four. Who else-"  
**[The elevator opens]**  
Fornell: "Jethro, she knows you?"  
Allison: "Morning, Mr. Gibbs."

**[Tobias Fornell and M. Allison Hart stand just outside the elevator, staring at each other; Greyscale; Commercial Break]**


	5. Chapter 5

Tony: **[hastily]** "On it, Boss!"  
**[Tony nearly knocks Fornell and Allison over to get to the elevator to pick them up some Coffee.]**  
McGee: "Ooh. I forgot to grab my daily cinnamon bun. I should go too..."  
Ziva: **[stammering]** "McGee didn't put enough cream in my coffee..."  
**[McGee and Ziva sprint to the elevator and the three of them start furiously whispering to each other as the door closes]**  
Allison: "What's their problem?"  
Fornell: "Bad news comes in threes - they were likely just scared to see what the third was."  
Allison: "Well Mr. Gibbs is likely the first, who's the second, you, Mr...?"  
Gibbs: "Special Agent Tobias Fornell. Tobias, this is Margaret Allison Hart. And_ you two_ were the bad news"  
**[Gibbs' finger waves back and forth between the two of them]**  
Fornell: "What's she doing here, Jethro?"  
Gibbs: "Ms. Hart has represented First Defense Incorporated in the past. She still does some work for them."  
Fornell: "And I'm already investigating their leak, s-"  
Allison: "_Leak_?"  
Fornell: "Someone inside FDI has been spilling some information that's cost quite a few men their lives in the Middle East."  
Allison: "Well who?"  
Gibbs: "Know what the 'I' in both NCIS and FBI stands for? ... If we knew, the two of us wouldn't be trying to figure it out."  
Allison: "If you two were any good, wouldn't you have figured it out already?"  
**[Fornell and Gibbs look at each other. Fornell makes a sour face at Hart which she doesn't see]**  
Gibbs: "I think you're with us today, Ms. Hart. You can see how good we are at what we do."  
Allison: "And make sure you don't break protocol. _Or laws_."  
Fornell: "Already a good day."  
**[The elevator opens again - Tony, Ziva and McGee walk out and silently take to their desks. Gibbs looks at them all for a second or two. They each look terrified.]**  
Gibbs: **[sighing]** "Fine. Campfire."  
**[DiNozzo smiles. Ziva lets out a sigh of relief. They slide their chairs out from under their desks]**  
Fornell: "What?"  
McGee: "Grab a chair."

**[Gibbs, Ziva, DiNozzo and McGee sit there as Fornell and Allison slide their chairs up, confused. They look at each other as the team studies both of them, before shrugging and discussing everything]**  
Gibbs: "Happy, DiNozzo?"  
DiNozzo: "Always, Boss."  
Gibbs: "Damon Werth was gunned down Wednesday morning at about 8:15am"  
Ziva: "His usual workout buddy dishonorably discharged Marine Sergeant Christopher Rice wasn't there, but has a pretty good Alibi."  
Tony: "Flu since Tuesday."  
Ziva: "Only one person at the gym heard the shots, Wendy Skinner. She called 911 and provided us with the attendance logs at the gym."  
McGee: "Rice and Werth's finances are both clean. Nothing unusual, no large transactions. A few phone calls to each other in the mornings around the time they met at the gym, nothing unusual."  
Allison: "Why were you looking into Rice in the first place?"  
Gibbs: "He works at one gym, but had a paid membership to another just to work out with Rice."  
Fornell: "Too Easy. My turn?"  
Tony: "You don't go camping much, do you Fornell?"  
Fornell: "DiNotzo, too early for you to be a wise-ass"  
Tony: "You don't ask if you can talk at a campfire, you just... go."  
Fornell: "Well uh, okay..."  
**[Gibbs smiles at Tobias' awkwardness as Tony Rolls his eyes. Allison looks overwhelmed]**  
Fornell: "...for a few months now, we've been looking into how very specific details of plans has been getting out. Numerous employees have been ambushed in Afghanistan. We started our investigation with past-employees and Werth still kept very friendly with a few of the employees."  
Gibbs: "Names?"  
Fornell: "Michael Nguyen, James Nathanson, William Sa-"  
DiNozzo: "_James Nathanson_?"  
Fornell: "Did I stutter?"  
DiNozzo: "They served together, too. He, Werth and Rice."

**[Gibbs stares at Allison]**  
Allison: "Mr. Gibbs, the answer is no."  
Fornell: "Still not allowed in the building, huh Jethro?"  
Allison: "Not a chance in hell! You owe me as it is."  
Gibbs: "I'll just owe you more, then. Fornell, you're driving."  
**[Fornell checks his pocket for his keys and holds the elevator. Gibbs is in. Allison refuses]**  
Allison: "I never agreed to this!"  
Gibbs: "Come on"  
Tony: "Boss? What do you want from us?"  
Gibbs: "Check out Wendy and Rice."  
McGee: "We did, Boss."  
Gibbs: "Do it again, McGee."  
McGee: "Yes, Boss"  
**[The elevator closes]**  
Tony: "Never thought Boss would order me to check out a witness."  
**[Ziva throws a sticky note pad at Tony]**  
Allison: "So what am I supposed to do now?"  
**[McGee shrugs. Tony ignores her. Ziva motions her head towards the elevator]**  
Allison: **[sighing]** Are you three going to ignore me all day?  
McGee: **[without looking up from his monitor]** "_Ohhhhhh yeah_."  
**[McGee taps at his keyboard. Ziva looks through the gym logs. DiNozzo pulls up a webpage and picks up his phone.]**  
Allison: "Ugh."  
**[She storms off to the elevator and mashes the button. Ziva smiles]**

**[Allison sits in the backseat of Fornell's car.]**  
Allison: "How long have you two been friends?"  
Fornell: "Not as long as we've been enemies"  
Gibbs: **[smiles]** "Fornell made the mistake of marrying my second wife afte-"  
Fornell: "Do you go around telling everyone that?"  
Gibbs: **[sarcastically]** "Not everyone. Just everyone who doesn't already know; and only when you're around."  
Allison: "Mr. Gibbs you can be incredibly juvenile sometimes"  
Fornell: "Hey, I'm starting to like her"  
Allison: "Here-put this on your dashboard"  
**[Allison produces a parking pass from her briefcase]**  
Allison: "They won't even question you at the gate"  
Gibbs: "Is this a 'shoot-on-sight' kind of place?"  
Allison: **[slyly]** "They wouldn't want to shoot me, I'm not sure."  
**[Gibbs rolls his eyes]**

**[Back in the Bullpen, the team thinks they hit a dead end]**  
Ziva: "Nothing. I've looked through this three times now"  
Tony: "Hand it over. This seems like a job for a certain _Very_ Special Senior Field Agent."  
Ziva: "If your title gets any longe-"  
McGee: "Tony, you said Rice had an alibi?"  
Tony: "CVS receipt. Why?"  
McGee: "Can I see it?"  
Tony: "Sure, McGeek - what are you thinking?"  
McGee: "Motive: Rice works for _American Liberties_."  
Ziva: "Who?"  
Tony: "First Defense Incorporated is the largest independent contractor of the US Government. American Liberties is the second largest."  
Ziva: "Well that sounds intimidating. I'm setting up a warrant right now for his home and his car's GPS."  
Tony: "Incriminating. Nice work, McGeek."  
**[Relief flushes through Ziva's face. McGee smiles as he faxes the warrant request form]**

**[In the parking structure, Gibbs beginnings to feel paranoid]**  
Gibbs: "Tobias, you have my back, right?"  
Fornell: "Depends on cover, number of shooters..."  
Allison: "You'll be fine, Mr. Gibbs. You're with me."  
**[They step into an elevator. Allison presses the button 'L*' - they ride in silence]**

**[Allison steps out of the elevator first, followed by Fornell and a determined Gibbs]**  
Receptionist: **[into her radio]** "Mr. Gibbs is on the premises"  
Receptionist: "Ms. Hart, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises if you're with Mr. Gibbs."  
Allison: "Colleen, he's with me, and we're _not_ leaving."  
**[Colleen stares at Gibbs. Gibbs smiles back at her]**  
Allison: "Get Matthew Reynolds on the phone, please?"  
**[Colleen types a few things on her phone]**  
Colleen: **[into the phone]** "Mr. Reynolds? Allison Hart, for you, here."  
**[Colleen hands the phone to Allison who speaks inaudibly]**  
Fornell: **[quietly to Gibbs]** "Here comes trouble."  
Guards: "Mr. Gibbs, we're going to have to escort you off the premises."  
Gibbs: **[pointing]** "I'm with her."  
**[Allison turns around, noticing what's going on. She enables speakerphone.]**  
Reynolds: "Sure, Allison. Send Gibbs right up. The sooner the better. I'd _love_ to speak with him."  
Allison: "Mr. Gibbs, right this way..."  
**[The guards, who were about to each secure one of Gibbs arms, back down. Gibbs slides between them and walks with Allison.]**  
Fornell: "Wise choice, boys."  
**[The guards scoff at each other and resign to their posts]**

**[Once in another elevator, Allison presses the button for the top floor. Her smile says "I told you so"]**  
Gibbs: "How'd you do that?"  
Allison: "I told him that if he forgot to tell me about something as important as a leak again, he'd be out a very talented lawyer. That we were here to help."  
Gibbs: "That all it takes?"  
**[The elevator door opens into Matthew Reynolds office]**  
Reynolds: "Mr. Gibbs, I have heard _plenty_ about you."  
Gibbs: "And I've heard nothing about you, since I'm not allowed to even step foot in this building"  
Allison: "Matthew Reynolds, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS and Tobias Fornell, FBI."  
Reynolds: "Nice to meet you both. Please sit. Also, I'm sorry for our Gibbs-less policy. Bell had it in for you, but if you're willing to help us, maybe we can wipe your slate clean."  
Gibbs: "I never did anything wro-"  
Allison: "I'd advise you _not_ to speak, Mr. Gibbs."  
Gibbs: "I'm not one of your clients, Allison. I never did anything wrong. Merton Bell committed crimes in Mexico. We gave him to them like they asked."  
Reynolds: "He was a prick and deserved it, to be honest. He acted like that all the time."  
Gibbs: "Do you really believe what you're saying? Or are you just trying to butter me up?"  
Reynolds: "I mean, you have to be an asshole for your second-in-command to murder you, right?"  
Fornell: "He's got a point, Jethro."  
Allison: "Enough chit-chat?"  
Fornell: **[sarcastically]** "Lawyers make a few grand an hour, shouldn't you _want_ to draw things out?"  
Gibbs: "Tobias, she never gets paid when she's dealing with me."  
Allison: "If you both keep being smart-asses, I can leave..."  
Reynolds: "No need for tempers. You two know something about our leak?"  
Fornell: "I've been working the case. We think it's coming from one of your tacticians, James Nathanson. We can't be sure. We'd like to ask him a few questions. Is he here today?"  
**[Reynolds taps a few numbers on his desk phone]**  
Reynolds: "Is Nathanson in today? Hmm, okay, thanks." **[click]**  
Reynolds: "No Show. Didn't even call out sick. Unlike him."  
Fornell: "We'll check for him at home, then."  
Reynolds: "Colleen can give you his address. Check with her on your way out."  
**[Gibbs nods. Fornell stands up]**  
Fornell: "Thanks, Mr. Reynolds."  
Allison: "Why didn't you tell me, Matthew?"  
Matthew: "It's a _leak_. The FBI told us to keep quiet."  
Allison: "Fornell?"  
Fornell: "The less people talking, the better."  
Allison: "So I need to be upset with _you_, then?"  
Fornell: **[smiling]** "I'd prefer you take it out on Gibbs, actually."  
Gibbs: "Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. Should we meet here again, keep security at their posts."  
Reynolds: "We'll see. Good luck with your search. Please keep me informed."  
Allison: "I'll make sure they do."  
**[Gibbs and Fornell sigh in unison at their appointed task]**

**[Abby dances around her lab, serenading a blood-stained shirt with her hands gripping it under its arms]**  
Ziva: "Abby?"  
**[Abby, startled, turns around and stops dancing]**  
Abby: "Hey Ziva."  
Ziva: "What are you doing?"  
Abby: "Ducky talks to dead people and you think me _dancing_ is weird?"  
**[Ziva smirks, but is noticeably upset]**  
Abby: "Oh, what's wrong?"  
Ziva: "You said a Browning was used in Werth's murder?"  
Abby: "Yes. Can't find it registered anywhere. Why?"  
Ziva: "Brownings are Israeli Special Forces Standard Issue."

**[Abby's face flushes with dread; Greyscale; Commercial Break]**

**

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**

_Are you ready for the 6th and FINAL installment of "No Such Thing?"_  
_I'll post it once I hit 30 reviews of this story. If you like what you're reading, get on it! If you don't tell me why!_  
_I hope you've all enjoyed everything so far. Hit up cafpow[dot]tumblr[dot]com for some teases of the final chapter and notes on the first five, as well as other musings._


	6. Chapter 6

Abby: "Ziva, why would anyone in Mossad have any reason to murder Damon Werth?"  
**[Ziva looks at her feet]**  
Abby: "_Your father._.."  
Ziva: "I don't answer him anymore. He could have found out who I have been spending time with recently..."  
Abby: "Ziva, why would h-"  
Ziva: "Can you disprove it?"  
Abby: "Not... yet... no... I can't. But I'll keep trying! I'll check local databases. I'll check national databases. I'll check against Israeli-issued weapons. Nothing's too much for my team!"  
Ziva: "Thank you, Abby."  
**[Ziva gives Abby a hug and briskly walks out. Abby walks over to her terminal and pulls up the slug, cracking her knuckles]**  
Abby: "Show me whatcha got."

**[Tony and McGee pull up in front of Rice's place. They approach the front door and knock, badges and pistols drawn]**  
Tony: "Federal Agents! We have a warrant!"  
**[McGee pats himself, looking in his jacket and pants pockets]**  
McGee: **[whispering loudly]** "Crap, Tony, _no_, we don't."  
Tony: "You had it ten minutes ago. Great." **[McGee keeps looking]**  
Tony: "We can't get inside without the warrant if he's not home to let us"  
McGee: "Let me go check the car..."  
Tony: "Ugh."  
**[McGee jogs down the driveway, noticing it's in the front seat]**  
McGee: "Unlock it, would you? I can see it!"  
**[McGee presses his face to the glass. Tony presses PANIC on the remote for the car, and McGee smacks his head into the glass]**  
McGee: "Ow, Tony!"  
Tony: "Fine, McPanic-Attack"  
**[McGee grabs the warrant from the unlocked door and walks up the driveway where Tony's picked the lock for the car door. Tony walks back to the step]**  
McGee: "GPS obtained."  
Tony: "Let's head inside."  
**[McGee and Tony kick the door through and sweep the house. No one is home.]**  
Tony: "Nothing looks out of place."  
McGee: "I don't see anything either."  
Tony: "Grab his laptop."

**[Tony, Ziva and McGee sit in the Bullpen.]**  
Tony: "We sure dodged a bullet this morning."  
Ziva: "I would not want to be out with the three of them, either."  
McGee: "Wait a minute..."  
Tony: "You're actually going to defend them?"  
McGee: "What? No, I don't even know what you guys are talking about. Come over here"  
**[Ziva and Tony crowd around McGee's monitor]**  
McGee: "Security footage from CVS from the morning Rice said he was there."  
Ziva: "You got a warrant for the CVS security footage?"  
McGee: "Shhhhhhhhhh!"  
Tony: "McGeek, at it again."  
McGee: "Notice anything missing?"  
Tony: "Rice."  
Ziva: "So he was never there. How did he have that receipt then?"  
Tony: "Let's go to CVS and find out."  
**[Tony and Ziva pack up and head out]**  
McGee: "Tony? Forgetting something?"  
**[DiNozzo turns around. McGee waves Tony's phone before tossing it to him]**  
Tony: "Nice pass, Probie Bryant. Thanks."  
**[McGee shakes his head and goes back to work]**

**[Tobias pulls up in front of a house]**  
Allison: "315 Georgia St."  
Gibbs: "Here we are."  
**[The three of them get out and knock on the door]**  
Gibbs: "James Nathanson, Federal Agents! We'd like to speak with you!"  
**[Fornell looks through the windows nearest to the door]**  
Fornell: "Jethro, I don't think he'll be answering."  
**[Fornell motions him over. Allison looks concerned standing just off the front porch. Gibbs walks over and peers in.]**  
Allison: "What is it?"  
Gibbs: "Alright. Let's head in."  
Allison: "You don't have a warrant. Mr. Gibbs, do not go in there!"  
Fornell: "Oh, I don't think he'll mind."  
**[Gibbs kicks the door open. The men walk inside the foyer where the body of James Nathanson lies on his back in a pool of blood. Allison covers her face, turning away]**  
Gibbs: **[into his cell]** "Duck? 315 Georgia St. Thanks."

**[The next Monday, Ducky and Palmer talk over the body of James Nathanson]**  
Palmer: "How was your weekend, Doctor Mallard?"  
Ducky: "Oh, it was alright. I organized some of my old 45's and visited mother's grave. Did you know that I have an original pressing of Django Reinhart's 'Djangology,' Mr. Palmer?"  
Palmer: "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar."  
Ducky: "Do yourself a favor and have a listen sometime. He is still regarded as one of the best Jazz guitarists of all time. At the age of eighteen, he knocked over a candle on his way into bed. This was the late 20s, Mr. Palmer, so many common household items were flammable. The house went up in flames in no time! He lost the use of the third and fourth digits on his fretting hand... Doctors believed he would never be able to play again..."  
**[Gibbs walks in.]**  
Ducky: "...but he relearned how to play guitar through his impediment, some said even _better_ than he could before! Heartwarming, really."  
**[Palmer nervously looks back and forth between Ducky and Gibbs to let him know Gibbs is here. Ducky turns]**  
Ducky: "Ah, Jethro!"  
Gibbs: "Got anything for me, Duck?"  
Ducky: "A moment, please, Mr. Palmer?"  
Palmer: "Of course, Doctor."  
**[Palmer scurries off]**  
Ducky: "Two bullets this time, to the chest. Both pierced the heart causing immediate death."  
Gibbs: "No holes we could find through the door or house. This was someone he knew."  
Ducky: "The shots were fired point blank, Jethro."  
Gibbs: "Same gun?"  
Ducky: "That's what Abby tells me. I might have some information that could help you, though."  
Gibbs: "Yeah, Duck?"  
Ducky: "Christopher Rice."  
Gibbs: "Your psych eval?"  
Ducky: "Precisely. If Rice was involved with any of this, I wouldn't be surprised. His dismissal from the Marines made him very paranoid. I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved, and tying up loose ends now."  
**[Gibbs, determined, runs off without saying a word. The door closes behind Gibbs, but across the room the door opens in front of Palmer]**  
Palmer: "...Something wrong, Dr. Mallard?"  
Ducky: "He just stormed off. Didn't say a word."  
Palmer: "That's what he did when I asked him about the GPS"  
Ducky: "Oh, I see. Well yes then, I see what you mean."

**[In front of CVS, Tony of Ziva get out of their car]**  
Tony: "On the way out, don't let me forget, I need Shampoo."  
Ziva: "And Deodorant."  
Tony: **[smelling himself]** "Wait, _really_?"  
Ziva: "No, Tony."  
**[Tony continues smelling]**  
Tony: "Are you sure?"  
Ziva: "You can smell yourself until you're green in the face, I was still _joking_, Tony."  
Tony: "Blue in the face. Remind me to pick up some Deodorant, too."  
**[They enter the doors and begin looking around the store. A woman behind the counter takes off towards the stockroom]**  
Tony: "_Wendy_?"  
**[Ziva runs after her]**  
Ziva: "Tony, go around back!"  
**[Tony sprints out of the store]**  
Ziva: "Wendy, Stop! We just need to talk!"  
**[Ziva chases after her, jumping over the counter, drawing her badge for the employees to see. Wendy screams running through the back of the store before bursting through the back door.]**  
Tony: **[smiling]** "Wendy Skinner... With a workout like this, I won't even need a gym membership."  
**[Tony's gun is pointed at Wendy's face. She shakes, and drops to her knees. Ziva cuffs her hands behind her back as she begins to cry; they walk around the store back to the cruiser.]**

**[Behind the glass on the other side of Interrogation, Gibbs, Tony and McGee stand.]**  
McGee: "Are you sure Ziva's up for this, Boss?"  
Gibbs: "Questioning me, _McGee_?"  
Tony: "Wendy's been sitting in there forever..."  
Gibbs: "Calm before the storm."  
**[Within a few moments, Ziva walks into Interrogation One.]**  
Wendy: "I thought you just wanted to _talk_, Agent David?"  
Ziva: "What do you think this is?"  
Wendy: "You took me into custody!"  
Ziva: "You would not have stopped running if I had said 'we are here to arrest you'."  
**[Behind the glass, Gibbs smirks: "True"]**  
Wendy: "Well what did I do wrong that you wanted to arrest me?"  
Ziva: "Do you know this man?"  
**[Ziva produces a picture of Rice]**  
Wendy: "No, I've never seen him before in my life."  
Ziva: "McGee!"  
**[The television screen in the corner of the room flickers on, showing the footage of Rice purchasing a single bottle of Nyquil from CVS at nearly 10pm the night before he swore he was there]**  
Ziva: "Care to explain a little further?"  
Wendy: "You expect me to remember a single customer at one of my two jobs?"  
Ziva: "You never told us of your second job..."  
Wendy: "I didn't think it was relevant."  
Ziva: **[slamming her palm on the table]** "Bullshit!"  
Wendy: **[whimpering]** "Whuh... what?"  
**[Ziva produces a piece of receipt tape]**  
Ziva: "Explain this: Last night, you rung up three customers. The first bought a magazine, timestamped 9:42pm. The next bought some Nyquil, timestamped 9:12am the next morning. The next bought a few greeting cards, timestamped 9:51pm."  
**[Wendy stares]**  
Ziva: "So, you don't know this man? Why would you forge a receipt for him? Unplug the machine and reset the time, then set it back?"  
Wendy: "He... he asked me to, told me he'd hurt me if I didn't. I had to. I was scared."  
Ziva: "Oh please. Is that why you've been speaking with him on the phone every few days for the past four months?"  
**[Wendy starts to cry]**  
Wendy: "Okay. Fine! He's my boyfriend!"  
**[Ziva stands up and tosses the table against the door of the interrogation room, spinning it so Wendy neither moves nor gets hit by its legs. Wendy nearly jumps out of her chair, knocking it over as she looks around for a way out. She backs up to the wall with Ziva stalking towards her, a menacing stare creeping over her face]**  
Ziva: "So you lied to me three times here. Ran away from me on sight, and lied to my face numerous times last week..."  
**[Ziva grabs her pistol and slides it up Wendy's body]**  
Wendy: "What are you doing? Help!"

**[Behind the glass]**  
Tony: "Uh, boss..."  
Gibbs: "She's just getting her payback. She won't shoot her."  
McGee: "Well what should we do?"  
Gibbs: "If I were her, what would you want?"  
Tony: "To be rescued."  
Gibbs: "I _meant_ Ziva."  
McGee "Uhhhhh."  
Gibbs: "Cut the tape."  
**[The technician ceases recording. Inside Interrogation One, Ziva hears a beep, knowing the small red light in the corner of the room is now off]**

Ziva: "These rooms are soundproof. Yell all you want. You know about the boy who cried fox"  
**[Behind the glass, Tony hangs his head in his hands]**  
Tony: "She totally ruined the moment. Ugh."  
**[Gibbs headslaps him]**

Ziva: "I am not going to shoot you. I have been shot before. I am sure you do not know what it is like. Turn around if you want to find out what three shots to the back feels like."  
**[Wendy crumples to the floor bawling. Ziva holsters her weapon and sits]**  
Ziva: **[escalating in volume]** "I am sure you do not feel safe right now. Or happy. I bet you feel scared... And depressed! And like your life is falling apart around you!"  
Wendy: "Yes! Yes! Yes!"  
Ziva: "To the government, you are just an accessory to murder. But I will always remember you as someone who helped to kill one of my best friends."  
Wendy: "I'm... I'm sorry..."  
**[Ziva reaches for her gun]**  
Ziva: "Tell me one more lie and the barrel of this gun will be pointed at your face again. Now where is Rice?"  
Wendy: "I don't know..."  
Ziva: "Where is he?"  
Wendy: "I really don't know! He's been driving all over lately. I don't know."  
**[Ziva walks to the door, shoves the table towards Wendy and walks out. Wendy cowers across from the door while the table settles in the center of the room and the door closes]**

**[McGee meets Ziva in the hallway. Gibbs and DiNozzo follow him out of the Interrogation observation room]**  
Ziva: "Well great. We have no idea where Rice could be."  
**[McGee puffs out his chest smiling]**  
Ziva: "What?"  
McGee: "I took his GPS but I did... place a tracking sticker in his glove compartment."  
**[McGee turns his iPhone around, showing a blue pulsing dot racing east on 66. He turns it to show Gibbs]**  
Gibbs: "Let's gettem."  
**[Tony and Ziva smile]**

**[State Troopers bottleneck traffic on 66E to check seatbelts. The NCIS charger pulls onto the road, driving along the shoulder. Ziva is on her phone.]**  
McGee: **[through the phone]** "Looks to be in the center lane. It was a White SUV"  
Tony: **[in the background]** "I think it was offwhite!"  
McGee: "Okay, it was a 'light' SUV. You're pulling up near it now."  
**[Gibbs stops the car. They get out, weapons pointed at the asphalt, sneaking around cars to prevent Rice from spotting them. He sees them anyway, and takes off. They sprint after him, eventually running him across the traffic until he gets to the median where he has nowhere else to go. In his brief hesitation, Gibbs and Ziva corner him.]**  
Gibbs: "NCIS. Christopher Rice, you're under arrest, for-"  
**[Rice attempts to hop the median, hoping to escape frogger-style. Ziva shoots him in the back of his right knee. He crumples to the ground. Gibbs calls 911 and handcuffs him.]**  
Ziva: "Why did you do it?"  
Rice: **[groaning through pain]** "Go to hell."  
Gibbs: "Fyou wanna keep referring to one of your knees as 'the good one,' I'd answer her."  
Rice: **[wincing]** "To protect my ass."  
Ziva: "Glad everything worked out for you."  
**[Rice spits at her shoes. She kicks him in the face]**  
Ziva: "Keep going."  
**[Rice lays down on the grass. Ziva sits against the median of the highway, her eyes misting up as the emotional journey has finished]**

**[Back at the Bullpen, Ziva packs up and gets in the elevator. Tony rushes to get in with her. Once the doors close, Tony flips the emergency switch]**  
Tony: "How are you doing?"  
Ziva: **[surprised]** "Fine."  
Tony: "You seemed really out of your league on this one."  
Ziva: "Werth was a good friend."  
Tony: "And..."  
Ziva: **[sighing]** "...and I thought for a while that my father was trying to get to me."  
Tony: "Ziva, you're safe here. You saw what Gibbs did the last time he sent someone for you."  
Ziva: **[a tear strolling down her cheek]** "I'm not worried about him coming for me. I don't want him to hurt the people around me."  
**[Tony blinks a few times, gulps, and puts his arms around Ziva's back, spreading his fingers and ensuring she can feel each one tap her mid-back.]**  
Ziva: "What are you doing?"  
Tony: "Keeping from being kneed in the balls."  
**[Ziva's arms still at her side, she chuckles and hugs back for a brief second. They release and she flips the switch back. Ziva steps out of the elevator immediately, pulling out a CVS bag and handing it to DiNozzo]**  
Ziva: "Goodnight, Tony."  
**[Tony opens the bag, finding Shampoo and Deodorant inside. He smiles and rubs his hand up the back of his head, walking towards his car]**

**[Gibbs sits at his desk. Palmer walks up, standing anxiously in silence]**  
Gibbs: **[without raising his head]** Palmer?  
Palmer: "Oh, yes, Agent Gibbs. Well uh, Dr. Mallard and I tend to get lost a lot."  
Gibbs: "Is he too old to read the map, or can you just not drive?"  
Palmer: "Well, neither, no. I was just, uh, well I was wondering, uh. Could Dr. Mallard and I have a GPS?"  
Gibbs: "A what?"  
Palmer: "Global Positionin-"  
**[Vance walks down the stairs, stopping on the landing above Tony's desk. Gibbs begins to laugh. Palmer looks around and sees Director Vance]**  
Palmer: "Director. Uh..."  
Vance: **[smiling, laughing]** "This has gone on long enough, Gibbs."  
**[Gibbs opens his desk and puts a brand new GPS, in box, down on the desk]**  
Palmer: "Wh- what's going on?"  
Vance: "I ordered it for you the first time you asked."  
Palmer: "Well what was this all for?"  
**[Gibbs stands up, grabbing his coat]**  
Gibbs: "I just think you and Doctor Mallard arguing is funny. Night Palmer. Director."  
**[Gibbs walks to the elevator. Vance joins him. Palmer grabs it, grunting, and hangs a right down the hallway behind McGee's desk]**

**[Gibbs drives home after what has been a very long week. He opens the door to see Allison sitting on his couch, feet up on his coffee table with a beer in her hand]**  
Allison: "Care to join me, Mr. Gibbs?"  
**[Allison cracks open another beer. Gibbs inspects his door and checks his windows. Gibbs grabs the beer]**  
Allison: "You told me I could come collecting when I figured out my way back here."  
Gibbs: "And how did you get in here, Ms. Hart?"

Allison: **[slyly]** "The same way you get your boats out."  
**[Gibbs smiles and takes a swig of his beer; Greyscale; Credits]**

**

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**_FINITO. Thanks to all of you who've read these chapters start to finish. It really meant a lot that you'd give me a half hour or so of your time every few days for the last week and a half. If you like what you see, please REVIEW my work so I can write better, more enjoyable stories in the future. If you want more of my random NCIS musings, check me out on cafpow[dot]tumblr[dot]com or subscribe to my work here. Feel free to message me to chat NCIS or anything else. Thanks again SO MUCH for spending your time with me, and to the lovely editting prowess of nancystagerat._

_Oorah!_


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